Mining machine



J. H. BLAIR MINING MACHINE June 10, 1930.

Filed April 26 June 10, 1930. J. H. BLAIR 1,762,154

MINING MACHINE Filed April 26, 1926 15 Sheets-Sheet 2 J. H. BLAIR MININGMACHINE June 1o, 1930;

Filed April 26. 1926 15 Sheets-Sheet 5.

J. H. BLAIR MINING MACHINE June 10, 1930.

l5 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed April 26, 1926Y J. H. BLAIR MINING MACHINE Junel0, 1930.

Filed April 26, 1926 15 Sheets-Sheet 5 ,-ISE@ MAW@ J. H. BLAIR MININGMACHINE June 10, 1930.

Filed April 26, 1926 15 Sheets-Sheet 6 -/w @afar J. H. BLAIR MINlNGMACHINE 'June 1o, 1930.`

15 Sheets-Sheet 7 Filed April 25, l 1926 Il Il ev, m N

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MINING MACHINE Filed April 26, 19126 15 Sheets-Sheet 8 y MZQIQLW ,y o Wl June 10, 1930. J. H. BLAIR 1,762,154

MINING MACHINE FiledvApril 26, 41926 151S`eetS-Sleet 9 f7 v ,wjgm '49,

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MINING MACHINE Filed April 26, 1926 15 Sheets-Sheetl 10 4M/,3W 44444444@gf/Mw M J. H. BLAIR MINING MACHINE June 10, 1930.

Filed April 26, l192e;

15 Sheets-Sheet 11 @4 NNN June 10, 1930. J. H. BLAIR 1,762,154

MINING MACHINE Filed April 26, 1926- 15 Sheets-Sheet 12 s, E l

, @dah J. H. BLAIR MINING MACHINE June 10, 1930.

Filed April 26. 1926 15 lSheets-Sheet 13 June l0, 1930. J. H. BLAIR1,762,154

MINING MACHINE Filed April 2e, 192e 15 sheets-sheet 15 Patented June 10,1930 PATENT OFFICE J' OHN' H. BLAIR, 0F CHICAGO, ILLINIS MINING MACHINEApplication filed April. 26,

This invention relates to mining machines, more particularly to machinesfor mining coal, although it is to be understood that the machine of mypresent invention may be used for mining gypsum, shale or any othermaterial for the mining of Which it is found suitable or adaptable.

I am awa-re that various mining machines have been provided and thatvarious attempts have been made to increase the ton nage and capacity ofthe material handled and to decrease the cost of mining operations.

The proposals heretofore made have been costly and of limited capacityand they have not been generally practicable nor have they come intogeneral use.

I have observed that the advantageous working positions of the machinesof this sort heretofore employed are limited. The breakers or ramsoperate in most of their working positions against the butts of the coalor other material and at an angle tothe scams or cleavage planes in thematerial. The slabs of material have been lcut relatively wide, usuallyabout four feet, and this, coupled with the angular operation of thebreakers in most of their Working positions, has resulted in chewing orcutting the material up too fine. \Vide chunks frequentlybreak and dropdown, especially Where the breakers aie Working in their horizontalposition, which might otherwise be considered its most advantageousposition, and these frequently clog up the entire machine and make itnecessary to get in and break up the clogging material by hand. This allstill further limits the capacity and tonnage Which is not good to startwith because of the manner of breaking and cutting employed.

On the Whole, the proposals which have been Amade for cutting the kerfscloser together and thereby the material into smaller pieces, have beenof' limited capacity or tonnage and have usually required Withdrawing orbacking out of the cutter before the breakers could be brought intooperation. The separate cutting and breaking operations i objectionablydecrease the speed of Working and, as before, the breaking has again, at

1926. Serial No. 104,528.

least in most of the Working positions of the machine, been against thebutts of the 1naterial and at an angle to the seams or cleavage planeswith the same disadvantages as before. Cutting the slabs thinnervertically Without decreasing their Width, results in Wide piecesdropping down and clogging the entire machine or requiring manualbreaking up before they could. be removed, and proposals in whichbreakers follow the cutters to operate upon the material after it iscut, are slow and limited in capacity, and the material is usuallybroken up finer than desired.

It is the object of my invention to provide an improved mining machineand method that Will better serve the purposes for Which intended, andparticularly having greater capacity and tonnage, also not subject toclogging or the necessity of getting in and breaking up large slabs byhand and Which Will cut and break the material at convenient distancesand in a manner to make lump coal, for example, of a suitable size.

According to my present invention, I provide a Cutter and breaker ormining head, particularly adapted for use and operation at the front endof the loading machine disclosed in my U. S. Patent No. 1,749,968,issued March 11, 1930. The mining head of. the present invention isparticularly adapted to be substituted for the shovel or scoop of theabove referred to Letters Patent and the push and pull mechanism of thatLetters Patent with the breakers herein provided, are adapted forsetting the breakers to operate with the seams or lines of cleavage inall of their working positions. The cutting and breaking head isoperable selectively in all of its Working positions and in restrictedplaces Without requiring definite cycles or orbital movements. Thecutters preferably operate at convenient distances to make lump coal ofthe desired size, and the breakers operate Without chewing up thematerial and Without withdrawing the cutters before the breakingoperation.

I provide for advancing the entire machine ahead slowly and for breakingthe material as the machine advances and simultaneously with the cuttingoperation. Th s speed of the chunks dropping and clogging upV the mav Ydiagrammatic entire mining operation and the capacity and tonnage of themachine is greatly increased, a particular connnercial application ofthe machine now contemplatedl and of anV entirely practicable andreasonable size being now estimated to have a tonnage of from 800 to1000 tons a day. 'lh'c possibility of wide chine is eliminated, as isthe necessity lof sep- 10luaratingthe cutting and breaking operations,

as well as chewingllltting up the material iner than desired.

vention, while having particular utility in mining coal, is not to belimited tovmining coal or the other materials above referred to, but maybe used for mining any material not too hard for the cutters or breakersemployed.

It is to be also understood that while the push and pull mechanism atthe front end of the machine of my Letters Patent above referred tol hasparticular utility with the present invention, that this invention isnot limited to use with the other details of that machine. For example,the swingable and extensible intermediate frame of the loading machinemay be omitted and the other details may beV varied as desired. Y v I Toacquaint those skilled in the art with the manner of constructing andpracticing the present invention, I shall now describe the same inconnection with a particular cutting and breaking mechanism embodyingthe invention. p In the drawings,

Figs. 1 and 1A are parts'of a more or less diagrammatic side elevationalview of a machine embodying the present invention (Figs. V1 and 1Aare'to be laid beside` each other with Fig. 1 to the left and Fig. 1A tothe right);

Figs. 2 and 2A vare parts of a more'or less plan view of the same (Figs.2 and 2A are to be laid beside eachother with Fig. 2 to the left andFig. 2A to the right).

igs. Sand 4 are parts of an'enlarged plan view of one side of the cutterand breaker `head or member, showing the supporting, op-

erating connections between the forward end of the'machine and the sideof the'cutter and breaker head shown (Figs. 3 and 4 are to be laidbeside each other with Fig. 3 to the left and Fig. 4 to the right) Figs.5 and 6 are parts of an enlarged side elevational view of the cutter andbreaker head showing fragmentarily the adjacent end ofthe machine andthe supporting, operating and drive connections between it and the head(Figs. 5 and 6 are to be laid beside l each other with Fig. 5 to theleft and Fig. 6

to the right) l Figs. 7 and 8 are parts of a vertical, longi- V tudinalsection taken on the line a-a of Figs. 3 and 4 (Figs. 7 and 8v are to belaid beside each other with Fig. 7 to the left and Fig. 8Y to the right)Y Figs. 9 and 10 are parts of a vertical section taken substantially onthe line b-.b of Figs. 3 and 4 with the adjacent tier of breakersremoved to show the racks for the breaker carriage (Figs. 9 and 10are'to be laid beside each other with Fig. 9 to the left and Fig. 10 tothe right) v Fig. 11 is a fragmentary, vertical, transverse sectionthrough the cutter and breaker Y- 'headtaken substantiallyon the linec-o of -It is to be understood that the present viny Fig. 4; l Y Y Fig.12 is a fragmentary longitudinal verv tical section throughthe machineon' an en? larged scaleand showing the means for rack- Ation taken onthe line 14.-14 of Fig. 7' and looking down.

Referring irst to Figs. 1 and 2 of the drawings, the machine with whichI have elected to show my present invention is the type more fullydisclosed in my U. S.v Patent No.

1,749,968, dated March 11, 1930.

It comprises in general the main body or base frame 5 mounted uponcaterpillar treads '6, fortravellingover the ground and for moving theentiremachine to the desired position, maneuvering it as desired andadvancing the entire machine and the cutter and breaker head at' theforward end thereof slowly toward and into the material being mined. 3

The particular tread arrangement and the frame arrangement and otherdetails of the main machine, per se, may be varied as desired. I1particularly contemplate at present eliminating, for mining purposes,the extensible frame,tobehereinafter referred to. In the particularmachine shown, however, which is merely for the purpose of imparting aclear understanding of my invention in connection therewith, the mainconveyor section '7 lies along the central part ofthe main frame ortruck 5 and this main conveyor has a drop front and a raised rear, asshown in dot and dash lines in Fig. 1. The drop front ofthe conveyor 7receives the coal or other material from the front conveyor section 10which is mounted upon an extensible frame 12. The forward end of theframe 12 bears the cutter and breaker head or member designatedgenerally at 13, and this cutter and breaker head 13 is suitablyarticulated at the front end of the swingable front conveyor arm tooperate in an improved and highly effective manner upon the material inall of its working position 10 is adapted to be swung up and down' withthe articulated arm 14 and cutter and breaker head 13 to permit cuttingand breaking and operation of the cutter and breaker head as a whole indifferent vertical positions. The cutter and breaker head 13 may beswung selectively about its articulated or pivotal mounting l5 at thefront or outer end of the arm 14. It may be swung to or fro through anyrange of movement about the pivot 15 without thenecessity of a completecycle or definite fixed orbital movement of the member 13 about itspivot. This permits cutting and breaking in restricted places and upclose to corners and overhead roofs, such as are usually present in coalmine passages, without the necessity of requiring a fixed sweep ormovement in spite of obstructions or the lack of any necessity for theentire movement and without the necessity of always allowing sufficientclearance for a complete cycle or movement.

The front conveyor carrying arm 14 is in turn pivoted or articulated at18 on the front end of the extension frame 12 and is adapted to be swungselectively about the pivot 18 up and down in vertical directions. Thearm 14 is adapted to be swung selectively up .and down to position themember 13 at any desired height or level, but like the cutter andbreaker head 13 there is no definite cycle of movement required of thearm 14 in any of the working positions of the head 13 and it need neverbe swung from the working position of the cutter and breaker headupwardly or to any other position to receive the coal or other materialfrom the head 13. The cutter and breaker head 13 delivers the materialto the conveyor 10 in any and all of its working positions withoutmoving the arm 14 or the front conveyor 10.

In the particular embodiment shown, the frame 12 is eXtensible andretractable longitudinally of the machine for the purpose of moving thecutter and breaker head 13 in or out without moving the entire machine,it being understood, as already pointed out, that I propose in practiceto dispense Vith this extensible and retractable feature and that, inoperation, the cutter and breaker head will be preferably advanced intothe material by a slow movement of the 'entire machine by means of thecaterpillar treads 6, 6.

The raised rear of the main conveyor 7 overlies the drop front of adelivery conveyor section 21 disposed at the rear of the machine andreceiving the material from the main conveyor 7. The rear conveyor 21has a conveyor arm 23 which, in the embodiment shown, may be swung upand down selectively in vertical direction and. in the embodiment shown,the rear conveyor frame, together with the conveyor 21 is adapted to beswung laterally about a king pin 24 (Fig. 2), so that the material maybe delivered from the machine to any desired vertical or lateralposition. The pivot about which the rear conveyor frame 23 is adapted tobe swung vertically is designated generally at 2:5 in Fig. 1. Thecentral main conveyor section 7 is mounted upon a laterally swingableframe 26 having rollers 27 operating upon a track 28. The frame 1,2 ismounted for extension and retraction upon the laterally swingable frame26 and the rear end of the frame 26 is mounted to swing laterally aboutthe king pin 24, the intermediate conveyor 7 and front conveyor 10swinging laterally as a unit about this pivot 24 to position the cutterand breaker head 13 in any desired lateral position.

While the particular source of power may, of course, be varied, thesource employed 1n the particular machine shown comprises a pair ofelectric inotors 30, 30. The motors which I contemplate employing in theparticular machine shown are of 50 horse power rating mill type. Y Thesemotors 30 are mounted upon the frame 12 as shown in Fig. 2, one uponeach side of the machine. Drivingly connected through suitable reductiongearing 32, one with each motor 30 and extending longitudinally onealong each side of the machine, are a pair of shafts 35, 35.

As in my application above referred to, these shafts 35, 35 form themain drive shafts .for racking the extension frame 12 in and out, forselectively swinging the cutter and breaker head 13 about its pivot 15and for swinging the front conveyor arm vertically. In addition, in thepresent invention, they drive the cutter and breaker mechanism, as willbe pointed out later. The main transverse or cross shaft for racking theextension frame .12 in and out is designated at 38 in Fig. 2A. Thiscross shaft 38 is provided at each of its opposite ends with a brake 39and with a bevel gear 40. Each of the bevel gears 40 meshes with a pairof bevel gears 42, which gears are-selectively connected with the driveshafts 35 to turn therewith by means of clutches 43. The gears 42 on oneside of the gears 40 turn the shaft 38 in one direction and the gears 42on the other side of the gears 40 turn the shaft 38 in the oppositedirection. The brakes 39 normally operate when there is no powerapplication to the shaft 38 to lock the same against turning and theframe 12 against movement. The drives at each of the opposite ends ofJdie shaft 38 provide a powerful balanced drive and they are operated,varied, connected and disconnected together.

Forwardly or outwardly of the cross shaft 38 is a second cross shaft 45which is simil arly selectively connected with the main drive shaft 35to turn in one direction or in the other direction selectively, asdesired, through pairs of clutches 46 and associated bevel gears 48which mesh with bevel gears 50, the shaft 45 being provided with brakes52 for locking 12. Each of thesepinions 55 meshes with a larger -g'ear58, the gears 58 being suitably keyed or -fixed upon a 'cross shaft 60suitably journaled on t-he frame 12. The gears 58 mesh i lo' withiracks62 on themenextensible laterally swingable frame 26 so that when thecross shaft 38 is turned in one direction, the gears 58 turn therewith,and by their engagement with the racks 62, rack or move the extensibleframe 12 forwardly or outwardly. l-Vhcn the cross shaft 38 is driven inthe opposite (li-- rection, the frame 12 is racked or retractedinwardly. l

Fixed on the cross shaft 45 to turn therewith are a pair of pinions, oneof which is shown at in Fig. 12. Each of these pinions 65 meshes with asomewhat larger gear 66 fixed upon short transverse shafts 68 suitablyjournaled on the frame 12. Each of the gears 66 meshes with a rack 70formed on the under surface of the associated push and pull arm 72, itbeing understood that there is one of these arms on each side of themachine. The operating movementof the arms 72 is always either intension when the operation is through a pulling of said arms, or incompression when the operation is through a pushing of said arms. Attheir rear ends the arms 72 have guide rollers 73 which operate in andare guided by tracks 74 formed on the frame 12.

Links 78 pivoted at 80 to the forward or outer ends of the push and pullarmsV 72 eX- tend forwardly or outwardly and are pivoted at theiropposite ends-,at 82 (2A and 3) to the cutter and breaker head-13eccentrically of the pivotal mounting 15 thereof. The plan view of Fig.3 is of that portion of the cutter and breaker head on oneside of amedium line longitudinally through thermachine, it being understood thatthe cutter and breaker head and connecting links 78, aswell as the driveconnections and other .parts to be hereinafter described, are duplicatedon the other side of that median line, as shownv in Fig. 2. The links 78also always operate in tension or compression to swing the cutter andbreaker head 13 selectively to or fro about its pivoted or articulatedmounting 15. When the cross shaft 45 is turned in one direction, thearms 72 are pulled or drawn rearwardly to swing the cutter and breakerhead 13 in a counterclockwise direction about its pivot 15, and when thecross shaft 45 is turned in the opposite direction the arms 72areforced. or pushed outwardly to push the cutter and breaker head 13 ina clockwise direction about its pivotal mounting 15. Through theclutches 46 the cutter and breaker head 13 may be swung to any desireddistance and in either direction selectively as desired, about the pivot15.

The cutter and breaker head 13 may thus be operated selectively aboutits pivot without any necessity of completing an orbital or cycle ofmovement each time. It may be swung into any desired position andthrough any desired range and back.

Forwardly of the cross shaft 45 is a third cross shaft 90 suitablyjournaled on the frame 12. vThe c-ross'sh'a'ft'90, likethe shafts 3 8and I 45 has fixed o'n'its opposite ends bevel 'gears 92, each of whichmeshes continuously with a pair of reversing bevel gears 93, the bevelgears 93 on one side of the gears 92 operating cumulativelyon oppositeends of the shaft 90 to turn the same in one direction and the bevelgears 93 on thev other Asides ofthe gears 92 operating cumulatively onopposite ends of the shaft 90 to turn this shaft 90 in the oppositedirection. v/

Each of the gears 93 has a clutch 94, for selectively fixing these gearsonthe shaft 35 for rotation therewith and the opposite ends of the shaft9.0 mayvhave brakes 95 for normally locking the shaft 90 againstrotation when there is no power application thereto.

Fixed on the cross shaft 90 are a pair of spur pinions 98, one of whichis shown in Fig.'12, and these pinions 98 mesh with somewhat largerspur. gears 100 mounted on relatively short transverse shafts orspindles 102 which may be suitably journaled on the frame 12. The spurgears 100 mesh with racks 104 on the upper surfaces of associated pushand pull or rack arms 105, it being understood .that like the arms 72there is one ofthe arms 105'on each of the opposite sides of themachine, these `arms being similarly operable so that a detaileddescription of one will suffice for both. At their rear ends, the pushand pull or rack arms 105 have guide rollers 106 which operate in andare guided by suit# able tracks 108 on the frame 12.

At their front or forward ends, the arms 105 are pivotally connected at110 with push and pull links 112,`the opposite or front ends of whichlinks 112 are in turn pivotally connected at 114 with the frontvertically swingable conveyor frame or boom arm 14, as shown in Fig. 5.Y

By turning the front cross shaft 90 in one direction, the arms 112 willbe retracted to swing the conveyor arm 14 downwardly or in a clockwisedirection about its pivot 18, and by turning the cross shaft 90 in theopposite direction the conveyor armor boom frame 14 will be swungvertically upwardly or in a counterclockwise direction. f The verticaltical height or vertical position in the mine passage or other place.The vertical swingabout its pivot 15 in any of its working positions sothat the breaker rams or members may be positioned horizontally or tooperate with the seams or lines of cleavage in the coal or othermaterial in any of the vertical positions of the'cutter and breakerhead, as will hereinafter appear. In this manner, the push and pull arms112 are utilized to swing the cutter and breaker head angularly to anydesired vertical position and wholly selectively, and the push and pullarms 72 are operable selectively to compensate for the different anglesof the cutter and breaker head in its various vertical positions and toposition the cutter and breaker head for effective operation upon thematerial in all i other positions, particularly positioning the breakerrams or members to operate horizontally or with the seams or lines ofcleavage in the coal or other material in all of the working positionsof the cutter and breaker head. Y

A longitudinal shaft 120suitably driven by the motors 30 has a pinion121 which meshes with an arcuate rack 122 on the under surface of thelaterally swingable frame 26 for the purpose of swinging the same andthe cutter and breaker head 13 at the forward end thereof laterally, asdesired. This lateral swinging movement is wholly selective in all ofthe working positions of the machine all as more fully disclosed in myU. S. Patent No. 1,749,968, issued March 11, 1930.

Each of the two threads 6 is driven at each of its opposite ends fromthe motors 30 as through gearing designated at 125 (Fig. 2), it beingapparent that the two treads 6 may be driven in the same direction toadvance the'machine slowly into the material or in the oppositedirection to propel the machine rearwardly and either tread may beadapted to be driven relative the other tread, or they may be adapted tobe driven. in opposite directions to turn the machine abruptly'andmaneuver the same into and out of inaccessible places.

Referring now to Figs. 3, .4, 5, 6 and7, the cutter and breaker head 13comprises a. frame 150 swingably mounted at 15 at the outer or forwardend of the arm 14 and pivotally connected at 82 to the outer vor forwardends of the push and pull links 78.

The cutter and breaker mechanism' comprises, in general, a horizontallyoperable under cutter 152, a plurality of verticallyA number of verticalcutters and breakers em` rployed may be increased any particular purposeor they may be varied for any other desired reason. It is important,however, regardless .of the number of cutters and breakers employed,that the vertical cutters be spaced to cut the coal or other materialinto relatively narrow widths. This feature, coupled with the provisionswhich I make for simultaneously operating the cutters and the breakersto break down therelatively narrow width cut selectively as the machineis advanced into the material and without the necessity of withdrawingthe cutters or otherwise separating the cutting and breaking operationand without the necessity of following the cutting operation with thebreaking operation in a progressive cycle, are highly important aspectsof my invention.

It will be understood that any increase or decrease in the number ofvertical cutters employed,l will simply increase or decrease the numberof relatively narrow widths ofthe material cut without materially orimpracticably increasing the widths of the slabs of material themselves.By cutting the slabs of relatively narrow widths and operating thebreakers simultaneously with the advance of the cutters, the capacityand tonnage of the machine is greatly increased. Furthermore, thebreakers operating upon these relatively narrow slabs break them up intolarger lumps than it has been usually possible to secure before andwithout chewing the slabs up or pulverizing or breaking them too fineand, at the saine time, the possibility of causinga chunk or slab of awidth as wide or wider than the entire machine, to break oif and dropdown and clog the machine, mak-l ing it necessary to get in and break upthe same by hand, is eliminated. y The widest piece that could possiblybreak off and fall or decreased to suit down could be no wider than thedistance between the vertical cutters. A chunk of that width would notclog up or stall the machine and because of the narrower width andgreater vertical connection with the face of the material, thepossibility of chunks that wide breaking oli' and falling down isgreatly decreased.

Because of the smaller or less width of the chunks or slabs cut, thebreakers will break them more uniformly and into larger lumps,particularly lumps of the desired size for lump coal and, at the sametime, the smaller or decreased widths of the slabs expedites

